20 Less
by Thinking Without Speaking
Summary: 20 less lights on the globe. 20 less people without hope. Without dreams. Without memories. Without wonder. Without fun. 20 less children. For the Connecticut shootings. I know this is late, but I just had to since I didn't before! It's pretty sad. One-shot.


**FOR BEST EXPERIENCE, YOU MAY WANT TO CHANGE YOUR CONTRAST TO A BLACK BACKGROUND (BY CLICKING ON THE HALF-BLACK, HALF-WHITE CIRCLE UNDER THE STORY INFO) FOR THE BEST READING EXPERIENCE.**

The aurora borealis shot out across the sky above Jack Frost. The new Guardian continued flying above the Northern Hemisphere until a little tooth fairy, Baby Tooth, showed up and tapped him on the shoulder. They both stopped flying, and Baby pointed up at the changing colors of the sky.

"Huh, another meeting. Are you gonna come with, Baby?" Asked Jack. Baby Tooth nodded in consent. They flew faster to reach the North Pole.

Jack popped into the window. He jumped off the sill to walk on the ground. Seeing the form of North, he began to speak. He was completely oblivious to the way the form was _shaking_.

"Oh, hey North! What's the deal?" He asked. North slowly turned around to reveal his wet cheeks.

"Jack, we have bad news." He replied.

"WAIT! Is everyone okay? Did Sandy get corrupted again? I can call Jamie! What about Bunny's warren? Nah, you wouldn't cry about that. Uh… Did Tooth die? She better not have! What about the yetis-" Jack started.

"No, Jack. We are all safe. Come to Globe and we show you." North cut off Jack. Jack nodded slowly and walked to the Globe Room. He passed the halls of whirring and dancing toys, but somehow they seemed to have lost some wonder and amazement. _What the heck is going on?_ Jack entered the curved doorway and saw Sandy and Tooth on the floor, placing items on it. Bunny was sitting on the couch near the fire staring at them, disbelieving. North entered after.

"Toothie, would you like to tell Jack?" North asked. She shuttered, mustering breath through her tears as so to speak.

"Jack, well…" She began to cry again and gasped for air. "We… We just… Let me say this straight." She took a deep breath. "20 children today, Jack. 20 children by a madman. 20 people without helpful memories." Tooth stated.

"Without wondrous eyes." Continued North.

Sandy conjured a picture of a sleeping child with an X over it. _No more dreams._

Bunny stepped out of his stupor. "No more hope." He added.

"What?" Jack asked in a whisper. _No… _"No, no, no, no, no! Please don't be saying what I think you're saying. No…" He continued. Tooth stepped up and placed a hand on his shoulder. Her wings were drooping.

"We're sorry, Jack." Spoke North.

"No! NO! This has GOT to be a dream! Sandy, please tell me!" Jack shook his head as if to dislodge this _horrible _nightmare.

Sandy shook his head sadly. _I wish…_ He conjured. Jack tugged at his hair.

"No…" He sat, cross-legged, on the floor, pulling his head and shaking with unshed tears.

"We have their tooth boxes, Jack. Would you like to send off a few?" Tooth asked in a voice rendered small by the suffocating depression in the room. Jack nodded. Tooth helped him up and they walked to the circle. The yetis lit the last candles and the elves bobbed back and forth. Every one held hands and stared at the 20 boxes in the center.

"I wish to go first if everyone is okay." North stated. Everyone nodded. "First off to say, you will be missed. I had planned the perfect Christmas for this year, and 20 less children surely puts a… Klunk in the plans, as they say." Everyone in the room was too distraught to correct him. "I will miss your wonder and your lights. May you rest in peace." North finished.

"Your memories were so beautiful… I watched them, if you don't mind. So childlike and brave… I'm going to miss those last pretty memories." Tooth stated. Short and sweet.

Sandy cast golden sand over the boxes, as if in a parting hug.

"You ankle bitters were pretty good at my egg hunts. I know one of you particularly liked the pink ones. So I made a few for you. Live on sweet, kiddos." Bunny then placed 20 eggs of their favorite colors on top.

"Oh! I forgot." Exclaimed North. He dropped a doll and a truck in the middle, as well.

"Jack?" Asked Tooth.

"So… Uh… I know how you guys feel. I've died before, too." The Guardians sent concerned looks at each other. _Their youngest had died?_ "And I've been shot. A war or something. Thank my immortality here. I hope it was painless for you. I'm so sorry that you had to go through that. Most of you are younger than me, anyways. I'm so sorry and I wish I could have been there, taken the shots for you. I would have, you know. I know you don't believe in me, but no one, absolutely _no one_ deserves to die. Including Pitch. And that's saying something." A weak chuckle escapes him. "So, rest in peace, and my sister will always take care of you if you need it, I guess." He bows his head. Suddenly, the room is cloaked in black darkness and lights up again. Pitch has appeared beside Jack, holding his open hand.

"Hello. No, I'm not here to cause destruction or nightmares. Everyone can go a day without those, especially today. I'm here to give my respects." Pitch stated. The Guardians nodded. "I am so sorry you had to pass. Say hello to my daughter and wife when you're up there, will you?" Asked Pitch. No one had ever seen him look so sad…

The Guardians and Pitch broke the circle. Each picked up 3, with North and Bunny picking up two extras. They slowly walked off to a small river somewhere off. Jack broke the ice with his staff. They placed a board that Bunny had painted with flowers on the rushing waters. They each set a container on it. Jack pushes the board away with his staff.

"Rest in peace." All of them murmur in unison. As Jack stares off at the slowly retreating form of memories, he feels something cold and wet slip down his cheek.

As he watches the form whip away in the blizzard, he thinks to himself.

_Maybe one tear will help._

**_To the children in the Connecticut shootings: This is for you, dears._**

**AN: Hey, peeps! I'm trying so hard to update my stories, but this idea came and hit me on the head.**

**With a rock.**

**In a fiery inferno.**

**I know I'm late for this, but I dedicate this to the families of the Connecticut shootings, and them, themselves. I bet they became spirits for being so brave. TuT I hope I made you cry, but it's for a good cause! I hope you liked this!**


End file.
